NFL

Ailing Giants LB Rivers bruises knee in car accident

While nearly every Giants player enjoyed the benefits of the bye week, the condition of linebacker Keith Rivers only worsened after he injured his knee in a car accident last week in his native California.

Rivers was not at practice yesterday and was being evaluated by doctors. Coach Tom Coughlin had no further information on his status. The first-year Giant missed the last two games with a calf injury and has only played in five games this season.

“He bruised a knee,” Coughlin said. “We hope that’s all it is.”

Wide receiver Domenik Hixon, who injured his ankle in Cincinnati on Nov. 11, and linebacker Jacquian Williams, who has missed the past four games with a knee injury, also did not practice.

* Safety Kenny Phillips participated in the light practice and said he thinks he will be able to play Sunday night against the Packers, after missing the past six games with an MCL injury.

Phillips did some running and worked out in drills, and likely will do the same today, hoping to join a full practice tomorrow. After pushing himself to get back as quick as possible, Phillips finally allowed the knee to rest and said he’s noticed the results.

“I feel a whole lot better,” Phillips said. “Each week we would try a little something different, run a little harder, run 100 percent, backpedal. It just wasn’t right whatever we were doing. Rest was definitely the right decision.”

* Running back Ahmad Bradshaw participated in practice after undergoing several tests last week, including on his neck, which he re-injured at Cincinnati. Bradshaw said the symptoms were the same from the injury that caused him to miss the third game of the season, but added it is nothing serious.

“Everything was clean,” Bradshaw said. “Just didn’t want to risk it.”

* Wide receiver Hakeem Nicks and guard Chris Snee also participated in practice, both feeling refreshed from the bye week. Nicks, who has dealt with foot and knee pain, said he shut his body down all week and feels as good as he has all season, adding that his knee swelling is gone.

“My bursting wasn’t there the way I felt like it should have been due to some injuries,” Nicks said. “I’m feeling pretty good now and that time off helped me to get my body right and most of all, my mind right.”

Snee, who had a sprained ankle, was glad he had an excuse to rest. Otherwise he might not have.

“It was great,” Snee said. “Listen, I’ve had a lot of mileage on this body and was feeling good for most of the season, then just kind of got rolled up and that week off allowed me to come in and get treatment, let things heal without practicing on it, which is probably what I would have done if we had a game.”